Interview with Jalen Harris

Broadway In Chicago's First National Tour of AIN'T TOO PROUD–THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS, the new Tony-winning Broadway smash hit musical, is now playing at the Broadway Cadillac Palace Theatre.

Let's Play Theatrical Review had the pleasure of interviewing one of the cast members, Jalen Harris, who plays the role of Eddie Kendricks. First discovered on season ten of America Idol, Jalen is an accomplished singer (Latin/R&B crossover) with Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Mack Woodward(Beyonce), actor, and model. He has been seen on Fist Fight (Warner Bros), Lovecraft Country(HBO), and his theatrical performances included Disney's, The Lion King (Simba). 

Rick and Brenda McCain had a candid and fun conversation with the very articulate and talented Jalen Harris. 

Let's Play: Tell us about the play, your role, and what we should expect to see on stage?

Jalen: It's such an honor to be a part of a legacy like the Temptations. When I first found out there was going to be a show about them, I was like, oh my God, I need to find out how to be in this show. Getting the opportunity to play Eddie Kendrick, one of the most talented male vocalists in that era and such an amazingly gifted person, is an incredible journey for me and really challenged me as an actor, tapping into certain parts of his life people may not have known. The story is narrated from the perspective of Otis Williams, which allows the audience to get an intriguing look into their lives. 

Regarding what you can expect, you can expect some of the best dancing you have ever seen and the best singing you've ever heard. You can expect to laugh and cry, as many of the storylines we cover regarding their lives tug at your heart and inspires you. You may also reflect on things in your life that you experience and can relate to that are similar to what these five men went through during the course of their careers together. 

Let's Play: Jalen, this singing group is before your time. Did you speak to anyone, like your parents, about the Temptations to help you understand their history? 

Jalen: Definitely, and it may sound ironic and somewhat cliche, but the first Temptations song that my dad played for me as a kid, was "Just My Imagination." It's one of the songs I sing in the show, which was like a full-circle experience. And of course, joining the show, working with our amazing directors and the creative team, there were a million things about the Temptations that I learned, which were enormously helpful. However, there were so many things I did know. I sang "Get Ready" in middle school, and I would sing "My Girl" and other songs when I performed locally.   

I spoke to a few family and friends who were around during the Motown era and worked in the music industry, so I could go to them and ask questions like, "Hey did you know Eddie Kendrick or any of the guys from the group. So I had a few outlets and resources that helped me get some secret information. But the Temptations music has always been a part of my life.   

Let's Play: Tell us some of the other familiar faces seen in Ain't Too Proud?  

Jalen: You will see Diana Ross, played by Deri'Andra Tucker, who is incredibly gifted, and Tammy Terrell, played by Shayla Brielle G. The play features the mother of Otis's only son, Josephine, played by Najah Hetsberger. The women in our cast are amazing. And as the story continues, you get to see the new Temptations, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Dennis Edwards, and other fantastic cast members. So the audience will get a chance to see a whole host of superstars on stage intertwine throughout the storylines of the Temptations.  

Let's Play: Without giving too much away. Does the play touch on the racial aspect that the singers had to endure? 

Jalen: Yes, it does, and it's so surreal because the things included in the production by Dominique Morisseau (Book Writer) author of The Detroit Project) as it relates to racial division and the depressive things that were happening then, you can see how it parallel to today. It's mind-blowing that what's happening in the news today is similar to what occurred 50 to 60 years ago.

And as an actor, it's an emotional experience to portray those painful and unsettling incidents on stage. But the audience will get a clear understanding of what they experience traveling through America as black singers. That's what is so powerful about this story shared on stage.  

Let's Play: Jalen, learning all of that disturbing information about their traumatic past, how did that help you on stage? 

Jalen: I decided to prepare for the role by being authentic. Knowing that my grandparents lived through segregation, lived through Jim Crow, and lived to see Obama become President, I find it a responsibility as a black person to continue the legacy of black people who died so that I could be on stage to perform this story. That is what inspires me to perform every night. It's more than doing a play or a musical on Broadway; it's about our assignment to educate and perform. It's essential for me as we travel the country and tell the story that is so potent and still relevant today.   

Let's Play: Have they taken you to see the original Motown studio? 

Jalen: We will be visiting the Motown studio when we go to Detroit in August. I don't want to give away any information about the special guest that may come while we are there; however, we will visit the Motown location and possibly sing on Euclid Avenue. It will be the first time that the show, Ain't Too Proud to Beg will be on stage in Detroit, and we are all excited to be a part of this historical event. 

Let's Play: Tell us about your experience being on American Idol? 

Jalen: I was fifteen when I made it on the show, and it was my first time auditioning. My parents say you can audition when you are sixteen. Since I was a young kid, I watched the show, but I always knew I would try out one day. However, for Season 10, they lowered the age to fifteen, so I decided to audition. It taught me fundamental things about the music and entertainment industry and spectrum that provided significant insight into whether this was the right career choice. I was still in high school, considering what college I wanted to attend and deciding the path I wanted to take, but deciding to audition for American Idol changed my life. 

When I left the show, I decided to finish school and was working at night, performing and doing my homework, and then going back to school the following day. The experience taught me so much, and I met so many amazing people that helped me make some incredible lasting connections in my life that I still cherish today.   

Let's Play: Relating to the American Idol audition, how was the audition process for Ain't Too Proud? 

Jalen: WOW! You will never believe that I auditioned with several other principal cast members in the show four, five, and sometimes six times. The way we would audition would be in a workshop process. On the first day, we would sing and do some scene work. If you make it through that day, the next day was choreography; then, you would have the opportunity to present what you have learned to the director, choreographer, the creative team, and the producers, where you would demonstrate all that you have learned from the workshop. Then, they would use that material to decide on the cast.  

My first audition was in 2019 for the tour that was supposed to start touring in 2020. However, that's when the pandemic hit. Then a year passed, and the summer of 2021 came. I got a call saying they would love to have me come back to continue the audition process. However, since it had been so long, we had to go back to the workshop, but within three days, I got the call telling me they wanted me for the part of Eddie Kendrick. 

It was a long journey, a total of two years, but through blood, sweat, and tears seeing people come and go, seeing so many people who didn't make it through the process. Still, it was an incredible blessing to be one of the few to make it. Given that I get the opportunity to perform every night, it was worth it. 

Let's Play: Jalen speak to today's youth about the experience you had with American Idol and help them with some wisdom on how they should prepare themselves to get to a stage like Broadway In Chicago tour with a production like Ain't Too Proud? 

Jalen: Well, the first thing I would tell anyone is to be ready to accept the challenges that come. They will make you better and stronger as you walk through your career. You have heard that iron sharpens iron, which is true in this industry. Thankfully, I have a great foundation of supportive parents and family who understood my gifts and wanted to see me succeed. So when you are a young artist, having the support of family and having a mentor is essential to your success. Also, I want them to know there may be sacrifices you will have to make, which I definitely did. 

I made it to my prom in my younger years, but my schedule didn't allow me to go to some football games, go bowling, or do regular things other kids were doing as I was focused on my career. But I knew that was my passion and something I wanted to achieve at an early age. If that is the space you want to go to, stick to it. Go after what you are passionate about because you'll never feel tired or miserable that you chose this path, no matter how difficult or challenging it may seem, as it will always be worth your time and energy because you love it so much. As long as you stay true to that, you will never feel stressed out, ensuring that you do it for the right reasons. 

So that is what I would tell them. Stay focused and determined. Take the time you need personally to shine, no matter what space you are in or your age.   

Let's Play: Jalen, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams started singing together in church as children, and you also have a spiritual background. How has that spiritual background helped you? 

Jalen: Having a spiritual background has probably been the most significant foundation I have as an individual, and it has also helped me as an artist. It gets really hard to navigate how to work with certain people or in a particular environment where you feel like you do not have all of the tools you need as a young person to navigate everything that comes your way. Since I grew up in the church where my grandfather was a Pastor, my spiritual background provided the fundamental foundation that carried me through some of my darker moments and times when I was uncertain about if I could perform. 

During stressful moments when I felt I didn't want to do this anymore, I was led back to my spiritual alignment in life. It helped me realize that this path I'm on is greater than me. It's about being a vessel and sharing my gifts to encourage people and inspire them to be a light in the world. I have always been able to return to my spiritual background during hard times. It's so important to me, and I'm blessed to have that spirit within me' knowing that if I hold on to it, it will show others that they can make it too.      

Thanks to Margie Korshak, Doris Davenport of Broadway In Chicago, and The Nederlander Organization for their vision of being committed to a safe and inclusive space that reflects our community's vibrant diversity and where everyone is welcomed.

For more information about the performance schedule and ticket prices, please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.